TN 1 (07-08)
DI 14505.005 Introduction to Section 301 Payments to Individuals Participating in a Vocational
Rehabilitation or Similar Program
Sections
225(b) and 1631(a)(6) of the Social Security Act, as amended;
20 CFR
404.316(c),
404.327,
404.328,
404.337(c),
404.352(d),
404.902(s),
404.1586(g),
404.1596(c)(2),
404.1597(a),
416.1320(d),
416.1331(a) and
416.1331(b),
416.1338, and
416.1402(j) (as amended regulations effective July 25, 2005).
Sections 225(b) and 1631(a)(6) of the Social Security Act, as amended, provide for
continued payment of title II and title XVI disability or blindness benefits to individuals
whose disability or blindness ends for medical reasons while they are participating
in the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program (Ticket to Work program) or another
program of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, employment services, or other
support services approved by us, if we determine that completion or continuation of
the program will increase the likelihood of the individual’s permanent removal from
the disability or blindness benefit rolls.
This provision is commonly referred to as Section 301 because the initial legislative
authority for continued payment of benefits to individuals in a VR program was provided
in Section 301 of the Social Security Disability Amendments of 1980.
The title XVI provision for Section 301 payments also applies to an individual age
18 or older whose disability is determined to have ended as a result of a title XVI
age-18 redetermination.
The guides and procedures in this chapter reflect the amended regulations that became
effective July 25, 2005 to reflect changes to sections 225(b) and 1631(a)(6) of the
Act and to make certain other changes in our rules regarding eligibility for continuation
of benefit payments under these sections. The amended regulations established the
term “an appropriate program of vocational rehabilitation services, employment services,
or other support services” to refer to the program in which an individual must be
participating in order to be eligible for continuation of benefit payments under section
225(b) or 1631(a)(6) of the Act.
We use the term “VR or similar program” within this chapter to refer to a program
of vocational rehabilitation services, employment services, or other support services.